The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-12

Cant. James B. Eads, Gen. Wright, United 6
States Army and others; c..y
The report from Col. II. B. Richardson, t
State engineer, accompanying the Coy
errors message, treated az s.ttenSo o. tne
condition of the leyeeS OF the State ana what
was required to. put them IN order to resist
Wroht and others bore upon the subject Of {
river improvement.
the successful
RESULT OF ITS LABoRs
is summed up IN the resolutions adopted,
which warmly Endorsed the course and sug-
"estinns OF Gov. McEncry The resolutions
were as follows:
NO EXTRA SESSION.
81. Resolred, Thatit iis inexpedient to con-
vane the General Assembly in extra session
at this time"
THE oPossUM FORK LEyEE.
s'2. Resolved, That the moral support OF
this convention be given TIE Goyernof, Snt
is known az the Opossum, Fork leyee, IN the
State of Arkansas, providing said repairs DO
nat cost the State an amount exceeding So,-
600. to be used at the discretion OF the Gov
-. Whereas, Cypress Greek levee, con-
monty known as Opossum Fork, is natura.HS
the head Of a proper Ievee system OF HIS th
State, to protect from deStIncslSe Gooas ..a'
IL,
garded by our Board of Engineers and the
mississippi River Commission
s'ResGlved, That We request our General AS
sembly to enact legislation recognizing II as
SUCH and to authoFz r. our S.a.e of fhe
| State of Arkansas to secure permanent pro
tection to the aluvial lands from that point
! to the Morgan City coast
MORAL SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNOR.
"a. Resolspd, That the moral support OF
this convention be given the Governor TO au,
| fIorizs. him to contract for the construction
| or repairing of any lmportans leyee or lcfSes
| in the State of Louisiana, wheneye.', III MS
| Judgment, the emergency requires II.
CONVICT FORCE.
IS. Be it resolted, That we earnestly ap-
| peal to his Exceilency, the Governor OF LOU
! isians. to Immediately adopt such means and
| measures as may be necessary to pace the
! entire convict force at work On the leyees OF
the State.
THE RAILROAD COMPANIES.
SO. Whereas, the maintenance OF levees is
second only in Importance 10 their cohstruc-
tiG.n,;x and the experience Of the present
var in connection with Bonnet Cane and
other crcyasses. has fully demonstrated the
fact that leyees can best be maintained by
placing them under control OF the railroad
Companies, whose lines are or may be con-
strIlctcd on and near to the leyees:
sin order to secure such advantages III be,
half of the levees it is asked that the General
Assembly shalt a. It's mex bo f eSa e,as.
| sioners of any district to contract with any
railroad company, whose line is now OF snail
hereafter be suitably. located for that puf-
pose to take charge OF au OF any portion 10, Oh
such contract shall not be binding on any
district until after the same shall have been
ratified by a vote OF 3 majority IN value OF the
| property taxpayers OF said district: and II the
y l. tt,nr,f vow II
l der the Constitution to give such authority,
: then, whenever the Legislature Is submit
t ting other amendments to the CONSTITUTION
to be voted on, it is hereby requested that IL
r will ct the same time submit slch additional
!; amendments as will confer the requisite au-
| thority for the purpose.
3 ~. Whereas. the rapid development OF
parallel railroads on either bank OF the dis
ssspp and oihsg LINES nteseene to 'h hs
: OF vital Importance to such works OF internal
: | improvements: be it
ReSOlrSd, That the chairman OF this con-
yention appoint a committee OF ten delegates
e to confer with the representatives of The
Mississippi Valley, Texas Pacific and Morgan
railroads to receive any proposition tending
& toward their assisting in the matter OF keep
s. ing general system OF leyees III connection
With the State, said committee to repor
lie either to this convention or to the next Leg
e islsture.
r INTERSTATE LEvEE CONVENTION.
IL IS. RESOLVED, That the Governor of ihi
20 State be requested to invite the Governors Q
10 the States of Mississippi. Arkansas Mis-
20 souri. Illinois and Tennessee to appoln
= State, to be appointed by his Excel!ency, tn
II Governor, i'll an interstate leVee conyentloI
az at Vicksburg, on the first Monday IN Octobe
~, next, to devise means and plans to be pre-
o. scented to Congress at its next meeting. an
T. to bring about harmonious action beEwee
~ | the several States i'll securing aid from tn
~ national government TO" the improvements
=. the Mississippi Valley, and protection frol
y, disastrous overtiows and hazardous navlga
y ton in the Mississippi river and its trlbr
"a tarles.
te PERMANENT COMMITTEE.
T. 80. Res0Ired, That the Governor of tn
ce State be and is hereby requested to appoint
40 standing COMMITTEE OF two from, each COZ
c. gressional district, and ten from the state ;
u large, whose duty it shall be to visit all Stat
r. or interstate conventions called for the in
ne provement Of the Mississippi river ard col
IL struction OF leyees, and to visit Congress
n, aid our Senators and Representatives, In s.
m curing the necessary legislation in this ma
s. ter.
u THE RIVER COMMISSION.
if 90. Whereas, the treatment of the Mi
by sissippi, its eventful improvement and Co
ell troll by scientific measures are questions
ps great magnitude, requiring the caref
en- study OF the highest ability OF the countr
nd anu
m '.Whereas. we recognize in the Mississip
lin River Commission body OF men OF til
Y character;
'Resoired, Tha! the recommendations AZ
m. plans of the Mississippi River Commission
referring to the Improvement Of the navie
ton of the Mississippi river, are hereby &C
daily and heartily Endorsed and approved.
al, THE RED AND ATCHAFALAYA.
,rp I'll. Resolred, That concerning the R.
nd and Atchafalaya rivers, we deem it inexpet
W. ent and hurtful to the commercial interes
or of the people of the Red river country q,
es those of its tributaries to make any attem
he to divert the course Of that II away fro
iaI the Mississippi, and recommend that. t
M M waters OF the Red should be detected fro
cir the Atchafalaya.
ii ~. Your committee recommend that q
asss bate on any OF the resolutions. contained
$50 | this report be limited under the five mint
he rule.
ose THE PROCEEDS OF SWAMP LAND SALES.
&C. ''13. Whereas. there is now in the Sta
treasury the sum of s166. S55 81, procee
III IL Of swamp lands, applicable under the acts
SIS Congress to the construction OF levees: ant
ION Whereas, by the sales OF swamp Ian
70 further sums will accrue to said fund frt
nav time to time: therefore be it
ia, ia ,'.Reso'ged, That the Governor and Boa
requested to adopt such measures a
ave make such agreements as may be n
ln iRR esssary to secure the immediate CT
VII VII strnctiou and repair Of levees to The exte
elli, of the funds now in the Treasury at the ere
70 OF the leyee and drainage fund, or VIII
ons may accrue from the sales of swamp laI
v Ytpr from time to time.
the "Be i. further reSolred, That the memb
by of this convention hereby pledge their in
vidual support to securing the passage
rlsy such measures by the General Assembly
can may be necessary to apply said funds to p
ara ing for work which may be done under
+ ! d provisions of these resolutions.
ION. THE POWER TO TAX.
ugh "ReSosred, That, this, convention is Of
YEN decided opinion, based upon high legal
are thority, that the several parishes of
ion, State are invested with, the power
col authority to levy end collect any tax net
We sary for the building or maintenance of
e to Ievees, they being works of pul